This is a common warning for numerous people that co-parenting a canine companion after a breakup is ill-advised. The consensus suggests such setups prevent former couples from moving forward, lead to scheduling chaos, spark arguments, and become annoying across the board. As it turns out, in a revelation suited to a streaming movie, it also makes our furry friends to experience sadness.
Without minimizing the emotional well-being of dogs – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. If you need standout portrayal in canine melancholy, one need only look a past film. There is little doubt that a dog like Merv, a spirited little dog brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a feature-length romcom on such a setup holds water remains rather doubtful.Predictable Foundations
Honestly, Merv, crafted by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart and helmed by director Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than what it is. This is a seasonal offering from a major tech-and-media conglomerate – the ambitions are modest. Its storyline unfolds as uncomplicated: former spouses Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, realizing that their post-breakup gloom is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. At this location, predictably, they will presumably stumble toward the idea that they belong with each other. The supporting cast – including a group of comedic actors – serve as quirky, thinly written, or broadly comic. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a holiday backdrop that is clearly manufactured – think flurries piled on green trees as a summer location stands in for the Northeast.
The Canine Charisma
If these familiar elements coalesce into a pleasant experience rests upon the execution and one's taste for comfort viewing. On the latter point, Merv knows its audience – individuals who seek out for cute animal clips. Audiences receive a plethora of adorable dog montages. The primary selling point is Merv himself, and though it results in some awkward editing between animal action and the actors' responses, the movie does offer dog beach fun, pet moping, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
Where It Wobbles
Such effectiveness does not extend for the human side of the story. Its style vacillates between serious study, wacky comedy, formulaic romance, and outright slapstick, not quite landing a consistent feel. No blame falls on Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the humiliating and funny demanded of the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a likable self-deprecation that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this ostensibly perfect couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, brings a particular brand of eccentricity that will either resonate with viewers. Her Anna seems a bit too dry, notably when paired with Cox's genuine sadness. (On another note, the canine performer manages acting depressed – not quite the award-winner from Anatomy of a Fall, he is still an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to provide depth to Anna and Russ's relationship for scenes without their pet – a regrettable choice, given that Merv is by far the cutest element of this cute-aiming movie. Expectedly, it meets the bare minimum. The cause for their original breakup might seem more nuanced with more screen time and more subtle storytelling. As it stands, Merv is gentle and pleasant, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie on this shared-custody premise has potential – even if it's hardly a stroke of genius.
- Merv premieres on Prime Video on December 10th.
